Schools supporting excellence in languages

Were you able to get a ‘Schools supporting excellence in languages’ folder produced by the Centre for British Teachers (CfBT) earlier this year? The document showcases work undertaken across 34 teaching schools and their alliance schools, and covers a wide range of language projects from KS2 to KS5. If you didn’t receive one of these packs, you can access the 'Schools supporting excellence in languages' material online.

Projects were DfE-funded (Languages Support Programme) and followed on from teaching school alliance-specific language audits, and considered recommendations outlined in the 2011 Ofsted report Modern Languages: achievement and challenge 2007-2010. Participants were keen to share their learning as widely as possible, so school website details are included in the resource.

The action research projects were grouped into the following areas.

Action research in languages teaching schools 2012

Grammar

Language improvement

Languages for all

Leadership and management

Reading and writing

Schools in challenging circumstances

Spontaneous talk

Transition

Using authentic materials.

It’s worth spending some time looking through the different project reports to focus on the research most relevant to your teaching needs, but the following projects particularly attracted my attention.

Using film to develop listening and speaking skills in KS4

Using authentic materials to support reading in year 9

Key Stage 4 to Key Stage 5 transition

Developing students’ ability to use the target language spontaneously

Creating opportunities for more independent reading, and for extended and creative reading